This invention relates generally to round balers and, in particular, to a system for monitoring bale shape in round balers.
During operation of a round baler, it is often necessary to weave the round baler back and forth in a zigzag pattern on the windrow of crop material being picked up and baled. This is because the windrows of crop material are typically much narrower in width than the pickups and the baling chambers of round balers. Without the weaving action, there is a tendency for the bales formed in round balers to be barrel-shaped or egg-shaped instead of uniformly cylindrical. Although the proper weaving of a round baler in a zigzag pattern overcomes the problem of poorly shaped bales, it requires that the operator constantly remember when to weave the baler. This causes operator fatigue.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bale shape monitoring system for round balers which prevents the formation of poorly shaped bales while reducing operator fatigue. The monitoring system of the present invention comprises single bale shape monitor means as contrasted with prior art systems which use plural bale shape monitors.